Mapping a process is not something I learned in college. Even after a decade of working in a company, even though there is an appreciation for having solid processes, I have yet to meet people who can lead a team to capture the As-Is processes. As my interest increased on this subject, this book was brought to my attention by a co-worker.
The first thing I learnt after reading this tiny book is the appreciation for the various levels of detail one can get into while mapping processes. Often, one sees a working group either quickly getting into details, or talking at a generic level without asking for specifics. At the outset, the author lays out the three main types of process maps and their corresponding purposes and levels of detail. This is of immense benefit to somebody new to process mapping. The "Relationship Map" shows how various departments of an enterprise (e.g. HR, Supply Chain, Manufacturing) exchange resources, while the "flowchart" shows various tasks involved in accomplishing a specific end (thus, this has the most detail).
The rest of the book unfolds, with examples, the "Relationship Map" and the "Crossfunctional Map". Tips to improve processes such as identifying disconnects and imbalance of detail are discussed. There is a section on anlayzing the developed processes.
The book is relatively tiny containing only 60 pages and can thus be studied in a very short time. This was also a reason I found this book inviting. At $11, the book seems expensive. |
The Basics of Process Mapping Books In Print, Audio Books.